After getting annoyed with all sorts of bashing in the media as a result of the tragic crime that occurred in the Piazza, this past week several of us from RE/MAX Access decided to make it a point to go to PYTfor lunch to show our support. Tommy Up, the owner of PYT, is a friend and fellow business owner who has been a part of the Piazza from its early days and thus a key catalyst to its success.

Like anything else, there are always growing pains. The NLNA has scheduled a meeting next week with Tower Investments, local politicians, the DA's office and PYT to discuss the potential of having greater security at the Piazza. The monthly NLNA meeting is a week after where neighbors can add more input. I know in my heart that Northern Liberties will bounce back from the recent tragedy stronger than ever. Along the way, there will be plenty of opportunistic bashing. For example, Philadelphia Magazine has already published an article worthy of a shredder:

The article is an insult to every person who contributes in a meaningful way to make our city better and I would challenge the author herself to be proactive and make a difference instead of writing baseless articles. I shared my thoughts on Philly Mag's Facebook Page but a comment on Philadelphia Speaks from Adam Lang might say it best:

Instead of being titled "The Piazza at Schmidt’s Is What’s Wrong With Philadelphia", they should have named it "This Column is What's Wrong with Philly Mag".

I will continue to show my support to PYT, the Piazza, Northern Liberties and Philadelphia daily. Myself and the Northern Liberties Business Owners Associationhave also set up a happy hour at PYT on 6/22 from 5 to 7. Come on out and join us and let's talk about those ways to make our city better. Maybe Philly Mag will show up as well for an education on all the things that makes our city great.

Cupcake Smash 2012 is on! The annual cupcakes-for-a-cause challenge brought to you by Philabundance is taking over PYT in the Piazza at Schmidts on Saturday, April 28th. This year, both amateur and professional bakers will be asked to draw inspiration from the PYT menu when creating their unique cupcakes. Dare to compete? Contact Cupcake Coordinator Melissa Mae at [email protected] for more details.

Philabundance is joining forces with PYT, home to America’s craziest burgers, for one sweet event that is sure to smash hunger.

It’s a Cupcake Smash, a baking competition with a twist - challenging the area’s cupcake masters to think outside the box (or should we say bun) while they create, compete, and most importantly…give back to their communities!

The CHALLENGEPhilabundance and PYT are challenging bakers to create cupcakes inspired by Tommy Up’s adventurous menu. It’s an opportunity for competitors to be truly original and create one of a kind treats that surprise and delight the senses.

We’ll be joined by the sounds of DJ Jay Yo on the ones and twos. Foodie Extraordinaire, Felicia D’Ambrosio, will be our celebrity emcee along with a panel of celebrity judges including Tommy Up, Anna Goldfarb from Shmitten Kitten, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Michael Klein, & Phrequency’s Leah Kauffman. Our judges will select the winning cupcake, which will be featured on the PYT menu, for a limited amount of time.

Both amateur and professional bakers are welcome to compete. If you have an interest in participating, please reach out to our Cupcake Coordinator, Melissa Mae at [email protected], for more information.

Advance tickets are available online. All proceeds will go to Philabundance. Note: you must be 21 and older to attend this event.

We are certainly no strangers to the Piazza, it's where our office is located. So we were beyond excited to hear that there will be a blogger meetup on November 29th right here at the Swift Half Pub, the night before RainCamp Philadelphia.

If you plan on attending RainCamp, we strongly urge you to come hang out with us at Swift Half and visit the Piazza the day before. While the location for RainCamp has not yet been announced, we are already trying to guess where it'll be. Could it be in Northern Liberties? We sure hope so, because it's the neighborhood that inspires us so much when it comes to our blog, and whenever we have visitors, we love giving tours of this unique, modern, and totally plugged in area. Northern Liberties is packed with bloggers, photographers, gourmands, and trendsetters, and it's a buzzing hub of information and advanced thinking. It makes perfect sense to begin your RainCamp experience here.

We are ready for the Rain.

So, with all of you RainCampers in mind, we put together a list of some places worth checking out before we meet at Swift Half Pub. Remember that there is free parking for visitors to the Piazza at 2nd and Germantown Ave.

First, you should come say hello to us at the Re/Max Office on the 5th floor of the Rialto.We have an amazing view of Northern Liberties and the city beyond and you should definitely bring your camera for some cool photo ops.

Do check out Amberella Gallery in the Piazza, which has extended its November exhibition, arrtist Katherine Allan's show Love is a Special Way of Feeling, through Tuesday, November 30th. Amberella Gallery, 1050 N Hancock St, Suite #62. [image via Amber Lynn Thompson]

Need a place to blog and keep your energy up with the neighborhood's best peppermint mochas? One Shot in Liberties Walk, across the street from the Piazza, is your go-to coffeeshop, serving beans from Stumptown.

Check in on Foursquare at PYT, the Piazza's burger bar, for a free beer. Better yet, find out what the Burger of the Week is, and order it. You only live once. [image via PYT]

Part of the Piazza's Philadelphia Restaurant Weekend, PYT rounded up a bunch of hungry Philadelphians to battle for burger glory at tomorrow's Burgerdelphia Burger-Eating Contest. We noticed a couple of things about the competitors - 1. There are a lot of DJs who claim they can eat like champs. 2. Is there really a 9-year-old going up against them, and if so, can we have her autograph? and 3. Many of the competitors call themselves skinny. This could get interesting. Which one will win the PYT Burgerdelphia Trophy, $250 Cash & $100 PYT Gift Certificate? Here they are, in their own words:

Eric Duong is a local Asian. He likes to breakdance, absolutely loves cheese and thinks he will win Burgerdelphia because he is really hungry all the time.

Leon Sonkin is a local dubstep dj/promoter. He likes hockey, cats, and has been watching Man Vs Food religiously in preparation for his victorious reign as Burgerdelphia champion.

Dave Wood hates the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies more than world hunger. He once ate 18 cuts of pizza at dinner just for fun so burgerdelphia should be a walk in the park!

Malcolm Conway lives and dies for the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Phillies, but hates competitor Dave Wood. Burgerdelphia should be no problem because he ate the South Street Heart Attack for an appetizer before his meal one night.

Katherine Stavniychuk says, "I am a pretty Russian girl with green eyes who loves me some MEAT!! I am 5'6" with shoulder length brown hair. I love love love burgers! and i love a challenge! would love to win and show everyone that a regular girl can eat lots of burgers too!"

DJ Sega is a local & national DJ legend, signed with Diplo's mad Decent Records & Old Head records. He is skinny, but he is hungry. He says, "This isn't a game anymore. This isn't funny."

Scotty Buck is a local nightlife and softball legend. he says, "Because I eat there 5 times a week and just feels like the right thing to do."

Jackson Galka: I'm one of those freakishly awkward skinny kids that can house large amounts of food in one sitting. It's all fun and games, but at the same time I take it seriously and I'm out to win.

David Jaffe is a local architectural engineer. Most people think his year long sabbatical from the industry has been due to the economy but a select few know it has been to train for Burgerdelphia with a strict regimen of burgers and whiskey.

Matt Gdowik is the champion of over 10 eating championships, and the creator and destroyer of the Summer of 1000 beers. He is also known as Silly Buddha.

Matty Mccone is a local house dj. loves dogs and playing music to relax. and believes he will win burgerdelphia due to the fact that being the skinny guy doesnt mean you cant beat the fat guy in a eating contest..... and he's here to prove it.

Ava-Lauren Weber is a local 9 year old girl. She says, "I'm nine and ate the pounder at cheeburger cheeburger and would love to participate in something like that again! let us know and my dad will take me on saturday - thanks!!! i live in old city philadelphia and LOVE PYT and so do my parents!"

One is the Cupcake Eating Contest at Flying Monkey Patisserie in Reading Terminal Market. It takes place tomorrow, and while it's too late to enter, the eight competitors may inspire you for next time and we think it'll be a lot of fun to watch. It starts at noon and whoever consumes the most cupcakes in three minutes is champion and winner of one cupcake per day per year. Not a bad deal. Costumes are strongly encouraged.